Conserving mobile species

Runge, C.A.; Martin, T.G.; Possingham, H.P.; Willis, S.G.; Fuller, R.A.

doi:10.1890/130237

Conserving mobile species

Runge, C.A.; Martin, T.G.; Possingham, H.P.; Willis, S.G.; Fuller, R.A.

Authors

C.A. Runge

T.G. Martin

H.P. Possingham

Professor Stephen Willis s.g.willis@durham.ac.uk
Professor

R.A. Fuller

Abstract

The distributions of many species are dynamic in space and time, and movements made by individuals range from regular and predictable migrations to erratic, resource-driven nomadism. Conserving such mobile species is challenging; the effectiveness of a conservation action taken at one site depends on the condition of other sites that may be geographically and politically distant (thousands of kilometers away or in another jurisdiction, for example). Recent work has shown that even simple and predictable linkages among sites caused by “to-and-fro” migration can make migratory species especially vulnerable to habitat loss, and substantially affect the results of conservation prioritizations. Species characterized by more erratic or nomadic movements are very difficult to protect through current conservation planning techniques, which typically view species distributions as static. However, collaborations between migration ecologists, conservation planners, and mathematical ecologists are paving the way for improvements in conservation planning for mobile species.

Citation

Runge, C., Martin, T., Possingham, H., Willis, S., & Fuller, R. (2014). Conserving mobile species. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12(7), 395-402. https://doi.org/10.1890/130237

Journal Article Type	Article
Online Publication Date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication Date	Sep 1, 2014
Deposit Date	Apr 25, 2014
Publicly Available Date	Mar 30, 2016
Journal	Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Print ISSN	1540-9295
Electronic ISSN	1540-9309
Publisher	Ecological Society of America
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	12
Issue	7
Pages	395-402
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1890/130237